The highlights of the International Atomic Energy Agency's General Conference, which took place in Vienna this week, include various cooperation agreements on nuclear power involving Canada, Japan, Switzerland, India, Korea, the United Arab Emirates, France and Vietnam.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission may have topped the list in numbers of agreements signed. The CNSC signed agreements with the Indian Atomic Energy Regulation Board, Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority and Swiss regulators – the Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate – and with the French Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety. The accord signed with France is a five-year extension of an agreement with Canada that is already in place.
The agreement with India was expected, as it was announced in April during a heads-of-state meeting in Canada.
In a statement, Switzerland's regulatory agency said the agreement would “strengthen” cooperation and “enhance the exchange of information.”
In separate deals, the World Nuclear Association said that the South Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute had signed on agreement on Sept. 14 with their counterparts from the United Arab Emirates, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation.
That agreement is intended to “promote cooperation in the field of nuclear safety with respect to light-water reactors."
South Korea's regulators signed a similar agreement with Vietnam's Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety. That document also furthers cooperation on a variety of nuclear power related issues.
Regulatory cooperation among various countries often precedes business deals, given the agreements try to ensure regulatory standards are met even with exported goods and services.